Factors associated with contraceptive use behavior among adolescents in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

Understanding sexual and reproductive health of adolescents is of utmost importance and carries with it implications for improving individual health outcomes especially reduction in unintended pregnancies and STIs such as HIV/AIDS. Using data from poor urban youths in the slums Nairobi, we try in this paper to comprehensively look at the individual level factors that may influence contraceptive use and pregnancy outcomes among adolescents as they transition to adulthood, in a bid to understand the needs and challenges that they face. Preliminary results point to the fact that there is a diversity of experiences among adolescents with regards to knowledge, attitude and behavior. Age, education and marital status were often strongly associated with SRH experiences of adolescents, pointing to fact that targeted programs are needed to reach them with range of SRH info and services at different stages – before they initiate sex, as sexually active unmarried youth, or as married individuals and couples.